Sunday, March 9, 2008
Rangoon - The ruling military junta on Saturday rejected a proposal for foreign observers at a referendum set for May, and said democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was out of all elections plans.
The rejection came just hours after UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari was allowed to meet the detained Nobel peace prize winner and top leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
Gambari offered UN technical assistance and help with facilitating observers at the planned referendum when he met on Friday with members of the commission tasked with organising the vote, according to state television.
Thaung Nyung, a member of the commission, rejected the offer, saying the referendum was a domestic affair.
"We have enough experience, but we take note of your offer," Thaung Nyung said, according to state television late Saturday.
"Holding the referendum on the constitution is within the country's sovereignty," he said. "For internal affairs in the past, we have never had observers from outside."
The commission answered few of Gambari's questions about the referendum and declined to give an exact date for the balloting, saying only that it would take place on a single day, state television reported. (Agencies)
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